


Couldn't have mentioned this earlier, no?

by Erica



Series: you couldn't have series [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst and Humor, Dom/sub Undertones, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Pack Dynamics, Pack Feels, Violence, Wolf bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-27
Updated: 2014-02-07
Packaged: 2017-12-16 06:59:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/859213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erica/pseuds/Erica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Derek had never expected his pack to need to know about the world of werewolves to it's fullest.</p><p> After all, they had been a pack now for coming on 2 years, and the most the rest of the pack (bar Stiles) ever wanted to know was a fairytale or two...maybe even a song but other than that it was all about controlling the wolf and chasing tales for them. They didn't care about the rest- and either did Derek. </p><p>But now, as Derek stood there staring at the door of his home which was smeared with the black paint of the alpha packs symbol, he thought that it may have been a mistake to shield them for their true world- one built on rules and tradition. One they were expected to live by and in.</p><p>Derek could already feel the migraine building between his eyes at the thought of teaching the pack...and at the thought of how much trouble he would be in with Stiles for not sharing...This should be fun!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. This was not going to be good

**Author's Note:**

> Okay! So I feel there are a few points I should clear up before reading in order for this not to be too confusing! :P
> 
> 1) The Alpha pack IS NOT the same as the one from the show- it's a concept that I came up with after watching season 2 but  
> but didn't get to writing- until now. They're original characters, in an attempt not to force too much OOC and they do not  
> have quite the same intentions as the ones in the show.
> 
> 2) This is taking place 2 years after the pack had finally established itself and settled into a family and you may get some  
> glimpses into the earlier days.
> 
> 3) The werewolf world is based heavily upon the concept of hierarchy and traditions (that you'll learn about- along with  
> the pack) but if the idea of someone out-ranking another and repercussions if that system is not held then please  
> DON'T READ THIS!
> 
> If all that sounds good to you- then keep reading and I hope you enjoy it!

Derek had never expected his pack to need to know about the world of werewolves to the fullest extent. After all, they had been a pack now for coming on 2 years, and the most the rest of the pack (bar Stiles) ever wanted to know was a fairy-tale or two... maybe a song. But, other than that, it was all about controlling the wolf and chasing tails for them. They didn't care about the rest- and neither did Derek.

But now, as Derek stood there staring at the door of his home smeared with the black paint of the Alpha Pack's symbol, he thought that it may have been a mistake to shield them from their true world. A world built on rules and tradition. One, that they were expected to live by and in.

Derek's parents had never believed it necessary for their pack to live in the old archaic ways of the "traditional pack", but they had still been expected to know the rules and roles in case a moment, such as the one Derek currently found himself in, ever arose.

Derek could remember the way his Dad would come home and tell them about the arrival of the Alpha Pack in various the various territories that surrounded Beacon Hills. He could remember the taste of fear that hung in the air as his mother, aunts, uncles, older siblings and cousins would roll off waves of panic and unease. For him and the other cubs in his pack, those moments had been terrifying. With such a close pack their emotions often intertwined and snaked around the atmosphere, being sucked into each members lungs with every breath- invading every cell- until each person felt the next's pain or joy...until they were all one. And in those moments- scared.

His father would quiz each member in their expected role and position in the pack. Beta or Omega and your rank. It all mattered in those moments. They would trudge through every grueling law and tradition of the "true wolves ways", one-by-one. Starting over each time a member got it wrong. The tension mounting with each warning growl or occasional snap at the neck from his father, toward those who weren't taking the drill seriously.

Derek and the other cubs had watched in a sort of horrified awe as they listened to their elders speak. Every so often losing interest and instead choosing to play over watch. That was until they got too loud and earned a scolding from one of their parents until they settled down again and listened once more. Cubs weren't expected to know much- other than to be respectful to elders- but that was something they had always been expected to know and adhere to. Alpha pack or not. Plus, no cub would be jumping at the chance to talk or be in sight of a big group of Alphas. Once, his father's Alpha friend from another pack had come to visit for a weekend and the cubs had all stayed firmly behind their parents or Alpha. All too afraid to approached by the unknown wolf, even when she tried to placate them with gifts of sweets or chocolate.

Derek could only imagine the serious talking to from his father he would be experiencing now if he were around to see that Derek had managed to leave his pack so vulnerable and unprepared by not continuing the protocol.

He could imagine himself stubbornly arguing that he had had his reasons! His pack was a group of kids who had already been so bogged down and oppressed by expectations and dominating figures--to be given new roles, ranking and rules was not what they had needed. They had needed a family, just like Derek, and that's what he provided them with as their Alpha. He felt he had done right by them up until this very moment. But now? Now, he wasn't so sure.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, pulling lightly at the strands as they caught. Derek was going to need to teach his pack centuries of lore and tradition, as well as the hierarchy of pack. Sounds easy enough, if not just highly time-consuming and that, he supposed was where his main issue lay, considering the Alpha Pack could arrive at any moment.

Unexpected territory inspections were what they were known for. Well that, and their uncompromising adhesion to the 'True Wolf Law'. 

Derek could already feel the migraine building between his eyes at the thought of teaching his pack...and at the thought of how much trouble he would be in with Stiles for not sharing this sooner...

This should be fun!

* * *

It had been a couple of hours since Derek had been faced with Alpha's symbol on his door. He was lucky enough that the pack hadn't been home in order to see it. Correction: he was lucky that _Stiles_ wasn't there to ask questions before Derek had time to think about his answers.

Stiles was going to be pissed and Derek couldn't frighten him off with an Alpha growl or something Stiles had labeled a "bitch face" ? Whatever that is, because Stiles had no apparent need for self preservation and had the added perk of being a Mate which meant that even if Derek actually  _wanted_ to kill Stiles. He couldn't. And sometimes Stiles used that card to his advantage...

That was why the sound of a rickety Jeep with a broken exhaust pulling into the drive, alongside a Porsche and his Camero,  caused Derek's heart to creep itself up from it's resting place in his chest, to his throat- just to place it in a more vulnerable spot in order to make it easier for his mate to kill him when he found out Derek had lied about "not knowing anymore" about the werewolf culture beyond what he had shared.

Laughter from his pack began to bounce off the walls of the house as they entered the house. There was a rustle of some shopping bags and the sound of a complaining Jackson and overly chipper Isaac. Derek smiled. Before his own pack had come along and finally settled down into what it is today, it had been years since the walls of this house had absorbed anything other than the rain water that had seeped its way through the ceiling cracks and huffs of breath as Derek worked out...or screams from when his memories pushed against the barriers in his brain in an attempt to break through and drown him in sorrow. 

It had been so long that Derek had almost forgotten the feeling that followed a pack in laughter. That feeling of warmth that fell from their mouths and that slid along the ground, reaching your feet before permeating your pores and crossing the barriers of veins and arteries and into your blood. Infusing it with a feeling that was so purely pack. So purely,  _home_ _._

 _  
_ Derek let that feeling fill his heart to capacity, because he knew that in exactly 7 seconds, when Stiles saw the door and then attempted to "casually" enter the room followed by the other curious pack members...and Scott, who would be more perplexed by the sudden shift in mood than the symbol on the door, it would be gone for a while.

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

2...

 

"Em, Derek?"

Derek sighed. This was going to be bad. BUT! Derek knew that the way in which he handled the next few moments would determine just  _how_ bad this was going to be.

Derek flicked his index fingers forward, causing the newspaper he had been sifting through to fold slightly at the top and allowed him to see Stiles over top. Stiles stood at the door with wide eyes and a palpable air of anxious energy. He cocked an eyebrow up at Stiles, who took the look as an invitation to rush forward and begin the interrogation.

"Please, please,  _PLLLLLEEEAASSSEEE_ tell me that while we were gone you decided to redecorate the door and typed in 'odd and ominous' into google images and that popped up? Although, I highly doubt it because, I mean last year you weren't even sure what wifi was, which suggests to me you haven't heard of the internet in the 21st century sense!

Also, I don't think you know what google is. I mean, considering when I asked you to google the word, 'tea', for me the other day- in order to find the origin and if there was any significant meaning behind the name- you asked me how many sugars I took because you thought 'google' was a new slang word! Which, is worrying enough in itself, but if you only  _just_ heard of google the other day- which I thought was something **IMPOSSIBLE** by the way- I highly doubt that you were capable of finding your way onto the browser and typing in the url. Even then, you'd need to click 'images', and I think that would be a step too far...That is, if you can turn a laptop on.

Can you? I mean I've never seen you do it. Well, I mean I've seen you do  _it_ because I mean I'm a participating member in that. Which, SIDE NOTE, last night was really-"

 

"STILES!" Derek, and the entire pack, yelled before that sentence could go any further and traumatize Jackson and Scott- who already looked as though they were going to throw up at the very thought of their Alpha and best friend in bed together. While the girls, Danny, Isaac and Boyd looked like they might just keel over with the lack of oxygen they were getting from holding back their laughter.

Stiles blushed, "Sorry, I ran out of Adderall this morning and just picked it up," He said, holding up the pharmacy bag as if to prove his point, "Plus I'm nervous. Please tell me that the symbol on the door isn't something supernatural related. Please. We just finished getting over the last batch of crazy that we had." 

Stiles looked at Derek with such pleading desperation that he almost wanted to lie. He could feel the words of a misguided truth forming at the back of his throat and inching their way across his tongue. He swallowed them back with a gulp. Lying had gotten him here in the first place. Well maybe lying was too harsh a word, but he certainly had misdirected away from the truth and Stiles would probably count that as lying.

He looked up into Stiles' eyes and held his gaze. He watched as the tide began to rise along the shores of his bottom lid before the liquid gold of his eyes solidified to brown and he sighed. The waves retreating to make room for resolve. He began to pace. Derek followed him with his eyes, flicking his gaze to the remainder of his pack- who had now taken seats on the various chairs and sofas that formed a large circle with Derek's. They all looked slightly unsettled by the unfolding event. The sweet warmth of their earlier mirth replaced by a copper tinged fear.

"Does the supernatural  _ever_  take a vacation?! What is it this time? Hm? Pixies? Vampires? Zombies? The frickin' GODS?".

Derek couldn't help but smirk. He was close.

"No. Think of them more like...a type of royalty or government".

Stiles stopped, spun on his heel and faced Derek. Derek knew this look- he was about to be reacquainted with sleeping alone. It was a look he had seen far too often in the early days and cost him a lot of sleepless nights on an uncomfortable sofa...and one night outside when things had gotten particularly bad.

Stiles' eyebrows knitted closer together and his eyelids dipped causing him to narrow his focus. It was like he was searching for something in Derek's face- or his soul with all the intensity his gaze expelled- and Derek knew the minute Stiles found what it was he wanted: The lie. He knew, because the brown of his eyes seemed to almost flash black and his bottom jaw jutted itself forward before clenching hard.

"A government for _what,_ Derek? Royalty of  _what?_ " his voice was low and harsh.

Derek couldn't deny the ripple of tension that the pack released at the tone. Or, the spike of fear Derek did. _This_ was a dangerous tone. This wasn't the tone of 'you're in the dog house'. No, this bordered on ' you're going to be finding yourself a _new_ house, because you sure as hell ain't going to be living in this one anymore!'  and Derek was Alpha enough to admit that it terrified him...but only to himself. Only in this moment.

"Werewolves." Derek stated, "They're called the Alpha Pack and they come for inspections to ensure that a pack is what it should be. Or, to dole out the punishments to a pack that is failing to comply."

If Derek had considered the earlier Stiles livid, it was nothing like what he was about to experience.

* * *

 

"Derek you better pray to what ever deity that you believe in for some protection because I thought that you just said that there was an  **Alpha**  Pack in town and that they were here to inspect us? What is this?! Some kind of Werewolf social services? What they just take your pack away if you're seen as an unfit Alpha?" Stiles looked at Derek like he was just waiting for him to say that it had all been some sort of joke. A really bad joke. In fairness, Derek's jokes were never really that good. But, in more of a dry sense of humor or bad dad pun kind of a way. Not a morbid, give-your-mate-and-pack- serious-heart-palpitations, sort of way. But, a boy could hope!

Unfortunately in this case, that hope would shrivel up and die in the dark corner of a room as Derek's words kicked the shit out of it.

"Sort of."

"Derek, buddy. Two word answers? Not really gonna cut it!" 

Derek sighed. SIGHED! Like Stiles' statement was trivial at best. Like, it was annoying him that he hadn't got what he wanted from the all inclusive 'sort of' Derek just shot at him!

"I mean, they do check to see if you are an 'unfit alpha' but the consequence isn't quite as simple as just taking the cubs..."

"Oh, Thank God. If it's just to see if you're a fit alpha... I don't think there is any real reason to worry. I mean sure, a whole pack of Alpha's on our territory might make it a little stressful, but I'm sure it'll be a fairly quick and easy inspection." Stile said, and sighed in relief. His shoulders sagging as the weight lifted.

"Derek, you're a perfectly fit Alpha. In fact, you're pretty awesome at it- you know...as long as we don't mention the first couple of months!" Scott beamed from the chair opposite Derek and the rest of the pack was quick to acknowledge the words with affirming nods and smiles. Well, except for Jackson who just shrugged--though his lips quirked to the side slightly when Derek gave him a skeptical look.

"Thanks Scott," Derek said, "but what they base their decision on isn't how well we get on as a _family._ None of that matters to them. We could hate each other for all they care. It's about how much we're adhering to the laws, the cultures...the hierarchy. Which, by the way in case you haven't connected it, we don't. My parents never believed in any of that bull but they had known the importance of being prepared in it. I didn't, and now we might all suffer for it...Guess I'm not even a 'fit Alpha' in the end..." Derek said. He looked down at his hands to avoid their gazes, but he could still feel them. Hot and heavy. He hated letting his pack down. What he hated even more was admitting to his failures. But, there was clearly no other way to fix it other than to tell them. It may have been a mess he created on his own, but he sure as hell couldn't fix it that way.

* * *

 

Stiles hated seeing Derek like this.

He had seen it often in the first few months of the pack developing. But only when they had been alone. His stomach would lurch at the way his head would move down dejectedly and his eyes would close tightly. It was if he was trying to block out the world around him... like if it wasn't there, neither were his mistakes or the problems they faced. 

Stiles couldn't take seeing his mate like that. He wasn't a wolf- but the bond allowed him to feel Derek's emotions as if he was when they were strong enough. Anger, joy, sadness, love...self loathing. He could feel as the latter began to seep its way along the tie. It felt like blackened tree sap that lay a heavy and uncomfortable weight and smelt of sulfur.

He felt himself move closer, until he rested on the arm of the chair where Derek sat. He lowered his hand into the onyx strands of hair, and combed his fingers through them until he felt the tie lighten. Stiles didn't feel angry. Not right now anyway, because for now, his mate didn't need that. What he needed was Stiles to have a level head and listen--which might be hard to do since his was sans-Adderall right now, and that wouldn't do.

"Okay", the word pierced the vacuum of silence that had settled moments previously. It caused the packs attention to turn to Stiles. Derek raised his head once again, allowing Stile's hand to move down to his shoulder.

"You mentioned them checking to see if we follow the laws and tradition and hierarchy of the werewolf, right?".

Derek nodded.

"So all we have to do is make sure that we act like all that stuff is what we do e'ryday! It can't be that hard, right? All you need to do is explain it all and then we can figure out how it all applies to us!" Stiles announced, like it was the simplest thing they could ever do! 

"This is going to take a while isn't it?" Isaac asked, his voice soft and tinged with an underlying nervousness.

"Yes." Derek replied.

Jackson let out a groan but Lydia dug her nails into his hand and he yelped. He turned to glared at her, but she glared back, "What?! You've already healed Jackson! I guess we know who's going to be at the bottom of this hierarchy you wuss!".

And just like that the tension was broken by the laughter from the rest of the pack. The sound caused Jackson to huff and sulk and for them to laugh harder.

"Well as entertaining as I'm finding Jackson's suffering- and I do, sorry Jax it's a reflex from the good old days I can't quite shake- I need to go take my Adderall so I can pay attention to the long, and _highly detailed_ , explanation Derek is going to give us on the shit we need to know that apparently didn't exist when I pestered him for information months ago...and yesterday." Stiles said, slapping his hand on Derek shoulder as he pushed off it to stand up and get some water to take his pills.

Derek looked up and caught Stile's eye as he moved and gave him, what he hoped was a small grateful smile. It must have been as it was returned with a  soft grin.

Maybe they could do this....but he'd hold onto his reservations until he was done explaining everything because...maybe they couldn't.

 

 


	2. Once Upon A Time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter is okay- I finished it at an ungodly hour and am quite tiered but hopefully it's enough! This work in unbeta'd meaning all mistakes are mine and mine alone, but I wanted to share them with all of you :)

Stiles went into the kitchen, grabbed a glass and filled it with water. He just needed a minute -Just a moment to _think_. He popped the lid of the new container holding his pills and placed the needed amount into the palm of his hand. He then put to his mouth before tipping his head and swallowing them down with a practised ease. He sighed.

What were they going to do about this? The pack had only started to fix the cracks that had begun reappearing after their last encounter with the not so friendly supernatural and Stiles wasn’t too sure that they could deal with another. Especially, one that would begin with them telling some pack members that they were higher up than another.

Yeah, that wasn’t going to go down well in a group that, for years, had been ruled by the strict hierarchy of high school…

Stiles really didn’t want to think of what would happen if Jackson’s slowly deflating ego was given steroids in the form of a high ranking wolf.

 Oh God! Correction- Stiles didn’t want to think of what would happen if Jackson got the spot of a lower ranking wolf! That would be as much fun as Mr.Harris’ Chemistry…It would be hell on earth. With snide remarks and constant rows. Yet, the worst thing might actually be those nights when Jaxs thought everyone was sleeping and his insecurities came to light.

Stiles could remember stumbling upon one of those nights. It wasn't long after the pack moved in together in an attempt to force everyone to get along. He hadn’t been able to sleep because of the ungodly heat wave that had graced Beacon Hills in the summer of last year, leaving Stiles feeling like a sticky sweaty mess (and not in a good way) while he fidgeted around to get comfortable and cool. Which, side note, is impossible when you lie next to an Alpha wolf who’s body temperature ran at like a bagillion degrees!

* * *

 

“Derek!” Stiles groan and trashed his body on the bed. He tried flinging the duvet off him, but only ending up tangling himself in the sheets further as he turned to face his boyfriend.

“Deeerrreeekkkkkk!” Stiles whined feeling the sheets cling to his sweaty frame once more as he moved to push Derek in order to try and wake him…It didn’t work. Stiles only accomplished touching his fire skin and covering his clammy palms in more moisture from Derek’s back- who just growled and pushed his back closer onto Stiles.

“Well, this is gross.” Stiles gagged before rolling over again in an attempt to remove himself from the sheets and clammy boyfriend. He sat up in frustration- he was _not_ going to sleep in this weather.

Maybe he’d take a shower? Try cool down a bit. Oh God, that sounded nice. A cold shower with icy droplets cascading down his frame- gahhhh it sounded almost sexual to Stiles right now. So with that, he began to pad his way through the dense moist air of his and Derek’s bedroom toward the bathroom upstairs.

Unfortunately for him, it seemed that someone else- or two some else's – had had the same idea as him and found the idea far more sexually charging.

“Ugggh- Scooottt! Yes!” Nope. He was out! He was not sticking around to hear that.

So with that, he turned on his heel quickly and padded down the stairs. It was a wonder that Scott didn’t hear him approaching and you know…calm stuff down for a moment. Some werewolf he is! ...Wait…What if he did hear him? Oh, GOD! What if he thought Stiles was some kind of pervert who got off on listening to his friends doing it in the shower?!  He thought he was going to get sick! Maybe he should go back up and tell them that that was **not** what he was doing. Explain to them that he was just looking to have a shower because he was super warm and then he got Derek sweat on him- No. That would be weird and sound kinda suspect, like why would you feel the need to explain yourself if you weren’t doing anything? No. He’d leave it. Hopefully, they were enjoying themselves too much to notice him. Yeah, it was fine.

PHEW! That was close.

Stiles continued his descent down the stairs until he reached the bottom. He turned left- heading toward the kitchen, which leads off into the laundry room, which contained a small shower room off it to the right. Hopefully, no one was using that! Stiles really needed to wash the heat off him!

He was just about to enter the kitchen when he heard a noise that seemed to emanate from the living room, back to the left, by the stairs. He stayed still for a moment to see if he’d hear it again. He did. It sounded almost like a whimper and Stiles turned to head back toward it because apparently, Stiles had not learnt his previous lesson with Allison and Scott.

He stopped right outside the door and listened again for a moment. The whimpering noise was still there and seemed consistent. Stiles questioned if maybe he should just leave and take his shower because he wasn’t sure if his brain could take another accidental walk-in on a pack member(s) having some sexy times. But- when he listened again he realised it didn’t sound so very sexytimeesque but more like someone trying to hold back tears.

Okay- Stiles had to check. He moved slowly- inching closer before he could crane his neck around the arch the opened up into the living-room.

Stiles wasn’t really sure what he was expecting to see- maybe Isaac?- but Jackson doubled over with his head in his hands, fists balled up in his hair, while he made pained noises was certainly not it.

Stiles questioned whether or not he should turn back- just head to the shower like he had originally planned or, he didn’t know, comfort Jackson? He didn’t know how to deal with this scenario at all. Stiles had been pretty sure that the great Jackson Whitmore didn’t know emotion. He was convinced that at the very least he had been born without tear ducts…or a soul. But alas, there he was clearly distressed and possibly crying!

Yeah…Stiles had no idea what to do here so it seemed like it may be a better idea to just turn around and go back to the shower!

Except—he couldn’t. He couldn’t walk away from the guy, despite him being an asshole. He knew what it was like when you were down and no one was there for you- even when being alone became unbearable.  He had to say something at least…GAHHHH! This was going to be shit for both of them.

 

He stepped forward.

“Uhhh…Jackson?”  The boy jumped in response to the sudden noise and then looked up- his eyes flashing to their werewolf blue before returning to normal with a scowl. Good opening Stilinski!

“What do you want Stilinski?!”

“Uh, are you- are you like, good?” Wow. Stiles really sucked at this…he should’ve gone to the shower.

Jackson’s scowl hardened- but maybe too much because it broke- and his eyes brimmed with tears before they settled back in his hands.

“Just go back to bed. Or whatever it was you were doing at frickin’ 3 in the morning.” He sounded so tired and Stiles felt that kind of vulnerability tug on his heart strings. He stepped further into the room- closer to the boy.

“Can’t. You distracted me. You know us ADHD kids…easily swayed from what we were doing... and this kinda seems more, um, important?”

Jackson just ignored him- whether he was doing it on purpose or just too caught up in his own head Stiles wasn’t too sure but either way, Stiles stayed put. Saying nothing…at least for a minute before his ADHD kicked in and he started to fidget and his mind tried to push words out of his mouth.

Thankfully Jackson spoke before they succeeded in leaving his mouth and Stiles was left asking about the weather.

“If you’re going to insist on staying at least sit,” Jackson said, moving over on the couch to make room for him. Stiles took it as a good sign that he had been right to come in. It was clear Jackson wanted the company, even if he didn’t want to talk- because the living room was full of alternative seats but Jackson wanted Stiles there, beside him.

So he walked over and sat down.

They didn’t talk but after a few minutes, Stiles felt as Jackson moved slightly closer to him, though he didn’t seem to notice. They stayed like that for a while longer and then, Stiles didn’t know how or _when_ it happened, but he suddenly woke in the morning with his head on Jackson’s shoulder and Jackson’s arm slung around his waist.

He felt like it should have felt awkward but it didn’t-Just nice, like being with family. Jackson must have felt the same because soon after Stiles his eyes sluggishly opened and he looked down at him with a brief smile.

“Mornin’ Jax”

“Shut up Stilinski” he laughed and Stiles smiled.

* * *

Stiles was scared that progress was going to be lost with this. After that Jackson had started to open up to the idea of the pack. It was like he realised suddenly that it was real—they weren’t going to leave him, that they’d be a family… Stiles wasn’t sure if that had been his main fear about the whole thing, he had still never found out what exactly Jackson had been so upset about that night, but he had never stumbled across him in quite the same state.

This could throw it all back into disarray. This could break them because _this_ could poke at all those dark and deep insecurities that they all had- that they all carried from their pasts.

 _This_ was going to be bad.

* * *

 

Stiles walked back into the living-room to re-join his pack. He got to Derek’s seat before nudging the Alpha’s knees apart to create a space for him to sit in. He leant back for a moment, tilting his head onto Derek’s shoulder and looked into his mate’s eyes.

Derek stared back as if he was searching for whatever decision Stiles had come to in his moments alone. Stiles smirked.

“Alright. Go!”

Derek smiled down, sadly, before he turned back to face the pack and Stiles followed his gaze.

“Okay so…I don’t really know where to start this thing,” he sighed and Stiles stroked the hand that was looped around his waist, “I was still quite young when my family— My dad- used to tell us these fairy tales in an attempt to explain the different things that existed in werewolf culture, so, maybe that’s where I should go from.” He sounded so unsure of himself. It was something Stiles hadn’t had to hear since his early days as Alpha and his heart panged with sympathy.

“Great! It’s story time, maybe we should break get a cup of hot cocoa and some popcorn?”

Stiles only felt a slight movement behind him before he saw the cushion from the chair go flying through the air and hit Jackson in the face before he could stop it.

“Shut up Jackson,” Derek growled, but his tone was free from his Alpha push.

The pack laughed.

“Go on Derek- tell us the story” Isaac said, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Fine- but I’m going to tell it like it should be told so…shut up and listen to it or I’ll rip all of your throats out, with my teeth. Got it?” They nodded.

They nodded.

“Good. Okay,” Stiles felt him relax and watched as the others did too. Stiles joined them, pushing back until his was flush against Derek’s chest and let his head loll back onto his shoulder. Then he closed his eyes and just listened.

“Once upon a time, when wished still worked and the world was balanced, there lived a pack; A pack that lived between the sleeping valleys of their neighbouring towns and worked together as one. One day one of the pack’s young betas was playing around on their territory when she heard a sudden noise. Curious- she moved closer. Closing her eyes for a moment she allowed for herself to be taken by her other senses.

She could smell what seemed to be another wolf…one that was not for her pack. So now she moved cautiously. It was not until she stood in front of the shrubs where the noise had emanated from that her nose caught a scent far more powerful than just wolf. She smelt _fear_.

She called out- telling whoever it was that was hiding that she meant no harm- then she carefully moved the leaves back.

Behind it all she found a small omega boy huddled amongst the foliage. The young girl tried to ask him what had happened to him and why he was alone but the omega was so distressed he was unable to shift himself back to speak to her. The little girl had observed how her pack mates had acted with their omegas when they had been distressed and decided to reach out to pull the boy into an embrace to try and calm him enough to help him find his pack.

However when she stepped forward and stretched her hand out before her- the boy attacked. You see the young beta, like so many others, constantly undermined the strength and speed of an omega. Though her intentions had been kind, she had still not been cautious after revealing the boys status because surely a beta was more than that of an omega. Little did she know that an omega in stress was in fact twice as strong as a normal beta and always faster- even faster than an alpha.

So when the boy struck he did so quickly and hard. He knocked the beta to the floor and then stood above with teeth bared in warning.

The girl let out a howl and her parents and alpha arrived in a flash to her aid. Seeing the distraught omega hover above its beta to attack- the Alpha roared and the omega shrunk- not wanting to be the main attention of the angered Alpha.

The young girl scrambled to find cover behind her mother and father.

They watched as the Alpha slowly approached the small child who trembled in fear. The Alpha stopped just a few feet short of the boy, just like the beta he asked him of his packs story but just like before the omega was unable to calm enough to shift. However, the Alpha didn’t attempt to reach out to comfort him, instead he sat.

The omega stared at him- still unsure of the man- but the Alpha did not change his stance, just remained seated with his legs crossed feet from the boy.

Soon the boy copied the stance but keeping the distance and just continued to stare onward. It quickly became clear to the young wolf that this strange Alpha did not seem to have a need to harm him because if he wanted to he could have surely attacked by now- but he hadn’t. After that the omega began to feel his heartbeat slower and he began to shift back to his human form, no longer scared.

The man asked again what had become of the boy’s pack and now he could tell him. The young omega had been training with the other pups of his pack in a local woodland off to the North of this unknown pack’s territory when the young omega had got distracted by a new and unusual scent and had an unbelievable desire to follow it. He hadn’t been sure what it was but it had smelt like “flowers and sunshine and...home”. It had been so powerful that it gripped his heart and pulled his soul like a magnet until he ended up in the pack’s garden.

He had been so scared when he realised that the smell had taken him away from his pack that he panicked and shifted. But, the smell just got stronger and overwhelmed him, so he hid. That’s why he had attacked when the girl approached him because she smelt so strongly of it and he wasn’t sure if she did that just to get him away from his people to take him.

The Alpha smiled and the boy grew confused. The man turned around to face the pack members who were with him- the parents shared a knowing smile while the pup mirrored the boy’s confusion.”

“They were mates.” Stiles interjected, opening his eyes to look up at Derek who smiled lovingly before dipping his head to kiss the corner of his own mate’s mouth.

“Exactly”

“So- what happened then?” Allison asked, curling in closer to Scott where she lay with her head on his chest.

“The Alpha asked the young beta to join him on the ground. He asked her to close her eyes again and take a deep breath. She did and then he asked her how she felt, what she smelt. She replied saying that her heart felt too big for her chest and she could smell her mother’s baking and the comforter from her childhood blanket- though she didn’t know why…

So the Alpha set forth to explain. The pair were mates- destined to have an inseparable bond that would fill their lives and hearts with so much love it could feel too much. Both of them seemed scared by the prospect- both still too young to understand their gift- but the Alpha explained that just because they were mates did _not_ mean they were mated. That was a commitment that would be made when they were much older. They could date who the wanted, never be together, but that they would probably never want that because their wolves knew that their souls fit perfectly.

As mates they could feel what their other half felt more strongly than a normal werewolf couple. They could speed up their partners healing by licking the wounds-“

“Ew, gross” Isaac inserted.

“-and could locate their mate in a moment of trouble. But above all- they would forever have someone who understand them fully and would protect them to the best of their ability…they would never be alone.

The young mates seemed to relax with the news—to be mated now seemed to promise a perfect life. Suddenly the young beta stood and walked toward the omega who stiffened in response, still nervous. The girl outstretched her hand, but cautious from the last time she moved much slower, watching for any signs of aggression from the boy who tracked her movements with his eyes. Seeing nothing, she placed her hand on his head and instantly the two gasped.

It felt as though her arm had been shocked- but it hadn’t been unpleasant. The shock spread a warmth , like the one that followed a sip of hot chocolate, through her veins and arteries straight to her heart and suddenly she was overcome with an intense love for the boy who sagged into her and nuzzled at her hip which he leaned on. He felt it too.

Following that interaction the Alpha helped the young omega to find his pack; where he explained the boy’s disappearance and his newfound love.  The boys Alpha rejoiced with the news as that day their pack found new allies…formed a new family.”

“Uhh…Derek…not that that wasn’t a nice story and all but um, what did that story actually teach? I mean it wasn’t that helpful for the whole alpha thing…” Scott asked tilting his head in that infuriating puppy dog way that he had.

Derek sighed, moving a hand up to rub his eyes. Maybe he shouldn’t have started with that story! Shit. Did he just waste an hour telling an irrelevant story? God he was bad at this…

“It explained that if you’re an omega it doesn’t mean you’re weak- I mean the boy was stronger and faster than the beta. It’s more just your demeanour…right?” Isaac queried looking hopefully at his Alpha from beneath his lashes.

“Yes!” Derek proclaimed. Okay, maybe he hadn’t completely ballsed this thing up.

“Also that mates have a lot of extra skills that are super cool, if not somewhat gross sometimes. Which is good to know for the Alpha pack- I mean you don’t really wanna mess with any of them but especially the mated ones.” Erica threw in after and Scott’s face moulded into one of slightly more understanding followed by an “Oh.”

Okay so the story seemed pretty successful, at least they learnt something... but it wasn’t enough to get them through a meeting with the Alpha’s if they arrived. So, his next attempt was going to have to be more proactive.

Derek pushed his hips forward and moving Stiles with them, forcing him to stand up or fall on his ass.

“Could’ve asked Derek!” Stiles said, flailing his arms but Derek just smirked and cocked an eyebrow before walking toward the backdoor that lead to the porch and backyard/forest.

“Derek what are you doing?” Jackson asked following the Alpha’s movement with his head.

“ _We_ are all going out to do some training and find out what everyone is. We need to get cracking- Scott was right, the story was nice but it wasn’t enough. We need to learn and we need to learn fast. I mean the Alpha pack can arrive at any minute.” Derek threw over his shoulder, opening the back door.

“What?!” the all coursed.

“Did I not mention that?” Derek smiled.

“Derek Hale you better be joking!” Stiles yelled.

Derek shut the door behind him before continuing to walk out into the fresh air but luckily for Derek he didn’t missed Stiles’ panicked “DEREK!”s that followed him.

 

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting this up but I was busy and away meaning I didn't have a chance to write this! But I would like to give credit for the beautiful "Once Upon a Time when wishes still worked and the world was balanced" line to ravingrevolution who began her werewolf fairytales in such away in Commands and Contrast. 
> 
> Thanks for Reading :)


	3. How should I phrase this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shortness of this chapter! College has begun and my time is getting pretty limited as I have a massive commute to and from. I'll try to update regularly but they won't be as long for the next while- try to bare with me :P Anyway, Enjoy!

Derek cracked his necked and looked forward, staring intently at the disparate group of young adults he called a Pack. He already had a rough idea how these trials regarding status were going to go just by looking but he wasn't going to just trust his gut on this...so far his instinct has just landed him in shit and he had enough of that to deal with, without shovelling more onto it.

"Right guys," Lydia cleared her throat at the introduction and pursed her lips at Derek, "-and girls", she lifted a perfectly sculpted eyebrow toward her hairline, "ladies" he tried and was greeted with a grin. Derek smirked, if only she was a wolf! Derek wouldn't need a test, or even instinct to know where Lydia fell in terms of Pack Ranking, because she would simply saunter up and seize it with the same ease and grace that she always held.

But, of course, life was never going to give him that simple of a solution so instead Derek was going to have to test for the role of his First Beta. Derek was going to have enough of an issue trying to convince the Alpha Pack that his own Pack was strong with not one but three humans in it. Let's just say that they did not look fondly upon humans in general- usually grouping them with the vermin. So, introducing them to not just any human but a  _Stiles_ type human, as the second most powerful member of his Pack? Yeah, that was going to be a hard sell. They couldn't punish the Pack for the Alpha's mate being human, your wolf chooses the mate and it was a bond protected within the law, but they could hold it against them. So Derek needs to establish the hierarchy among his wolves, quickly.

"First things first!-"

"Seems like the most logical order to go in"

" _Stiles_ ", Derek growled.

"Sorry!" Stiles replied, though if the searing smile was anything to go by, sorry was the last thing Stiles was feeling about that interruption.

"First things first" Derek tried again, glowering a Stiles and daring him to retort with a smart ass quip again but he just continued with his satisfied smirking, "the only way to figure out this, is through a series of test."

"Tests?" Isaac said hesitantly, looking a Derek for some sort of indication of what exactly these 'tests' might entail.

"What like...blood tests?" Scott asked confused, though that was nothing overly alarming.

"No Scott. Not like blood tests. Like.....fighting. Kind of like when we're all messing around and we start to fight in our forms just- more" Derek tried to make it sound nonchalant, no big deal just a little rough around and they'd know the answers! He didn't think telling them it was so much more than that would do anything but make the already terrified looks on their faces, more profound.

"Em," Stiles interjected, " can I opt out of the werewolf fight club that is apparently about to go down here? 'Cause I have a feeling I'm not going to fair out well in it...." he squinted his eyes toward the end, tilted his head and raised a sceptical eyebrow at the scenario.

"Yes Stiles, you can opt out." Stiles' shoulders seemed to slump in relief and he stuck his tongue out to a pouting Scott, who looked betrayed by the inequality of it all! 

"You too Lydia and Allison- you're places are already predetermined so the test is pretty unnecessary" Derek watched as Allison took the same kind of relieved stance as Stiles and smiled sweetly at Derek, while Lydia looked far more unimpressed with the whole decision but she didn't comment. Something he was thankful for.

"Oh, shit really?!" Stiles' eyes lit with a child-like excitement that often wound up with him getting into trouble and he bounced eagerly on his toes. Derek questioned once again how he was going to convince an Alpha Pack of the legitimacy of his pack. 

"What are we? Are we like- the wise researchers? The out of the box thinkers? The bad ass rebels who said 'fuck you' to convention?" Stiles said biting his lower lip and jutting his head forward quickly, much like he had when he had asked Derek if he was going to punch the Deputy officer in the face.

"No." Derek sighed and took another steadying breath, "it's nothing like that. Stiles, you're the Alpha's mate...it's essentially like a Deputy, a Vice, Second in Command sort of thing. You hold a place that comes with an extreme respect and entitlement but also responsibility.

Any orders you give are expected to be obeyed without question unless I overrule it, or it conflicts with a previous rule laid out by me. If your orders are not met- the Alpha Pack will be expecting retribution- punishments. So you're going to have to watch not only what you're saying but how you phrase things to Pack remembers. You can’t afford to mess around when they’re there and you certainly cannot afford any days of missed Adderall.

 Also- If I were to be injured or killed- technically, under the Alpha's laws, it would be  _you_ who would become the Alpha. Which, is why you have to take this seriously, the Alpha pack are already looking for an excuse to break us apart if they’ve deemed it needed for them to come and they’re only going to be more inclined with a human mated to an Alpha.” Derek watched as Stiles swallowed harshly and stared at him with unsure eyes.

Clearly, Stiles had not expected his role in the Pack to be quite as prominent as that; and judging by the mixture of outraged and doomed expressions that graced the features of some of the pack, neither did they.

“Is there any way I can opt out of that one?” Stiles said weakly.

“ ‘fraid not.” Derek replied with a sympatric smile, “That ship sailed when you said you wanted the bond”.

At least Stiles smiled at that- though it was not a particularly confident one.

 

* * *

 

“And what exactly are we then Derek? If not considered assets to a pack by the Alphas? Hmm?” Lydia posed, placing her hand on her waist, drumming perfectly manicured fingernails against her hip- daring him to say the answer they both knew was inevitably going to come. Now Derek wished he was allowed to opt out.

“Well- most packs don’t have humans. It’s highly uncommon or favoured by most packs. So, they don’t really have a particular ranking…they’re not considered Beta or Omegas.” Derek wasn’t sure how he was going to phrase this.

“What are we then?” Allison asked looking up at him through rounded, innocent eyes.

Oh, _God_!

“Pets.”

“WHAT?!” Lydia yelled.

That was definitely **not** how he should have phrased it. _Shit_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! :D Let me know how you're feeling :)


	4. "It doesn't matter what you are, it only matters what you do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is longer due to the fact there was a long wait between chapter updates! :L So ENJOY! 
> 
> Also, please note it is currently 2.00am for me so please forgive any mistakes you might spot- just let me know! I was anxious to get this up :)

Stiles cringed. Derek really should have thought through the phrasing of that first because, pets,  _really_? Had he actually thought that was going to work for Lydia?! I mean, he had met her before, right?

Helloooo Derek! Lydia Martin- eternal homecoming queen, straight A student mega genius, Banshee here! And you just called her a pet! Sometimes Stiles wondered how many lessons of basic human preservation he missed in his life!

"Derek- dear," Lydia's voice dripped with the sweetened honey venom her words delved themselves in whenever she was giving you a chance to correct your mistake before she yelled, "I'm almost certain you must have gotten the phrasing of that wrong so let’s...start it again." 

 _Please hear the tone. Please hear the tone_. Stiles prayed in his mind for Derek's own sake- Stiles had been foolish enough in the beginning to ignore the tone and let's just say...he paid for it in much more than the simple dash to the pride it would have taken to just apologise immediately. Stiles took a quick glance up at Derek, who, looked considerably paler then he had moments ago. Also, if the knitting of his eyebrows and downturned appearance of his lips was anything to go by he had figured out 'the tone' too.

"Em," he cleared his throat, "pet isn't what  _my_  family ever raised me to believe- but that is Warricks view point on the subject. His relationship with other species is...legendary and not in the good sense. I never quite found out what it was that formed his low opinion, ego? Tragedy? Never got old enough to ask. All I know is he despises the idea of humans being involved in pack as anything other than perfectly obedient little pets. It's why the humans in my pack where given the choice at 16 whether or not they wanted the bite. Not only would it make the pack's life simpler in terms of not garnering attention of the Alpha Pack, but also the individual's if the Alpha Pack decided to pay a visit.

It's not an easy role for anyone to play- it's probably the main reason most packs avoid it at any cost. Having humans is  _not_  a desirable thing because it makes you a target for the Alpha Pack. Warrick views it as a weakness he can exploit and because of that most packs view it in a similar way. So to him- you are a pet. I mightn't like saying it and I know you sure as hell don't like hearing it but, we're all going to have to get over it. We don't have time to argue over the roles we're being forced to play. We just have to play them."

Derek wasn't quite sure what happened to him during that speech but somewhere through the forest of words that had grown on his tongue- he had felt his wolf pressing against the confines of his mind and skin, showing itself through the gaps in his words. He hadn't allowed his Alpha side to get this close to the surface since...the early days of him getting the power. It was- exhilarating! It was bad. There was a reason that he had kept it that way...there was a reason Peter had craved it. 

Allowing his wolf's powers to come to the surface was like allowing his body to be washed in currents of unbelievable pleasure. It just felt so  _good._ He could feel the pack bonds with in such a vivid sense he could almost see them. Everything was shaper, fresher, better. He was stronger. He was in control. He was the Alpha of his pack and he wanted them to make sure they knew it so that everyone else could too. 

His wolf was salivating now, snapping his jaws and the last of his self-control and close to breaking free completely. Derek was certain if he was to see his reflection his eyes would be the brightest of blood reds and his claws would have extended. He wanted to just let go- let it out. Claim all that was his to claim and bask in it but he stops himself. 

Derek wasn't ready to let himself go there. Not yet. Not while everything was still so new and unexplained to his pups. It would only frighten them more and that was not what they needed right now. Right now they needed to find their own wolves identity.

Sure they had met it before but they clearly hadn't connected with it to the extent that born wolves do- for the wolf and them were one, though they could separate for a time with much patience and practice- the opposite was true for that of a created wolf, their wolves remain entirely separate until they learnt to be one.

So instead of giving in, instead of making himself whole- Derek closed his eyes, took a deep breath and arched his back in such a way as to crack it- pushing the wolf back into the recesses of his mind and allowing him to focus on the people in front of him...the people who, when he opened his eyes, looked at him in extreme terms of uncertainty- not that he blamed them. They had never seen his wolf this close before- except for Stiles- he had seen it three times before, in the early days and if the glint in his eyes was anything to go by, he recognised it.

Derek stared at Stiles- and he returned the gaze, and then nodded. It would be dealt with later, when they were alone.

"But to play them- we have to know them. Stiles, Lyida and Allison- you guys can sit on the porch. Sorry but you have yours and no matter how shitty they are, they're yours. I can't change that no matter how much I disagree or hate it. Believe me when I say I do, even  my wolf instincts don't call for the treatment you are expected to receive. Wolves do not have any want or need for pets, just pack mates but Warrick is the one in charge here and if any of you are going to learn anything from this experience it's that werewolf society? It's not a democracy."

 

* * *

 Once the humans were settled on the porch, Derek turned his attention back to the wolves in front of him. They looked nervous. They all seemed to twitch and move in a way that reminded him of Stiles' restlessness- they had no idea what Derek was going to ask them to do. Thankfully for them, Derek wasn't going to ask them to do much more than the play fighting they had done before. However, there was one key difference...Derek was going to have to get them to connect with their wolves first.

That, was more than likely going to be the most problematic part of this. That, and the fact that once they did Derek was going to have to let his own wolf slip slightly to the forefront because as soon as their connections were made Derek was going to have 6 wolves trying to fight each other at once to get the more dominant role.

"Right guys, this shouldn't be too far away from our usual play fights- though they're going to tip slight more in favour of the 'fight' part of that. Firstly, however, I'm going to need all of you to close your eyes."

"Are you serious Derek?" Jackson quipped arching his pointed eyebrow, looking sceptical and slightly unimpressed by Derek's words- as if they weren't cool enough of an instruction for him to follow.

"Yes Jackson. Close them.  _Now._ " and with that Jackson's eyes snapped shut- followed by everyone else’s. Derek smirked...Jackson was easy too place.

"Okay, I need you to visualize your wolf. See one that fits that feeling you get when you're surrounded by pack, when the moon is at its fullest. When you turned truly for the first time."

Derek looked around again- taking in his pups faces- they all looked so amazed. For them all, it was possibly the first time they had caught anything more than a shadow  of the thing that lived within their mind, that shared their soul. 

"Can you see it?" They nodded in unison and Derek smirked.

"Good. Okay. Now picture yourself standing opposite your wolf." Derek walked toward them all, circling.

"Have you done that?" Another set of nods.

"Right! Begin to allow yourself to walk toward it, slowly. Keep your hand stretched out in front of you, your fist lightly clenched. That's it. Stop about half way and let the wolf come the rest." He gave them a moment. He had listened to his father explain this to him the first time he had managed to separate from his wolf and wanted to reconnect- his wolf was hesitant, having never seen them apart before. This is how he had thought them to merge again.

"Have they come over? Yes? Good. Now, if they've sniffed your hand- move it slowly to pet them. And I mean slowly, if you're too sudden they will bite and-"

"OW!" Scott cried out.

Derek couldn't help but chuckle, "it will hurt."

"After that, run your hand threw the fur on its scruff, grab hold and then just walk forward- like you're stepping into it." Which was exactly what they were doing and Derek walked around in front of the porch- separating them from the humans...just in case.

Then he watched it unfold. Watched as the features of the people in front of him morphed, stretching and shortening in various places until they took the form of their visualized wolves. Shit! Derek forgot to explain about the full transformation...never mind- they knew now if the coursing  _yips_  were anything to go by.

He chuckled once more. "Sorry for not warning you about that. When you merge like that transformation moves from a beta form to an alpha- meaning it's no longer just your hands and partial face shift it's everything. Fur and all."

They continued to seem surprised, stunned into stoic figures, unmoving. And then, all at once, hell broke loose. 

They began to growl and snarl and snap at one another. Not knowing where they stood in the packs chain of command was unsettling to say the least- unbearable at the most.

Luckily for Derek, two things were very clear:

1) Both Isaac and Jackson- were omegas to their core. They most moved closer together, being the two slightly smaller wolves of the pack they clung to each other for comfort. Isaacs steel grey fur melding into the fawn coat of Jackson. For them to fight would be unnecessary...and near impossible. Their instinct to submit to pack would be far too strong. Yes, it was true that in threat and against another pack- omegas were some of the strongest members, but within pack. They felt no need to protect- they were being protected.

2) He only had to deal with four fights. He'd pair Erica and Scott, Danny and Boyd. The winners of both would then fight each other the losers each other and the lines would be drawn. The hierarchy established.

 

* * *

Danny and Boyd had fought first; the entire thing a blur of Danny's chestnut brown and white belly and Boyd's patched black and silver.

They slammed into each other with the force to break bones, and probably did. Before finally Danny nipped sharply at Boyd's back heels- taking advantage of the momentum Boyd built up swinging around- he slammed into his side cause the bulkier wolf to fall on his side. He was then easily flipped onto his back, where Danny gripped his neck between his teeth before Boyd submitted, revealing his startling silver neck to him.

Erica and Scott's fight lasted a bit longer as both possessed an ease of agility with their lithe frames.

Erica's snow white fur danced the sunlight off it as she moved, two beaming gold eyes shining, one peering through the lightest of brown patches which surrounded her right eye. She constantly teased. Running around Scott in a circle and slowing enough for him to snap out before she would jump away at the last second. It was a game of Cat and Mouse between them. Though eventually Scott stood still and peered through calculating eyes. His red russet fur, flecked with white, moved only in the light breezed caused by Erica's movements. She danced around him- but with no retaliation she began to slow, confused. 

Bad move, Derek though and so did Scott and he lunged forward then. Straight for her neck. Which he caught, and brought her to the ground with a roll, leaving her no option to submit.

After that the fights were fast and simple. Boyd pinned Erica quickly and with ease. While Danny and Scott seemed more evenly matched for a moment before Scott got the upper hand and took Danny down swiftly.

It was only after that that the four panting betas of varying degrees seemed to even notice the two omegas the shook slightly by the corner of the porch.

They all looked at Scott, who tilted his head in interest and then sniffed the air- his lip pulling back from his teeth for a moment, baring them at the omegas as he began his approach, followed by the remaining Betas.

To a non-wolf the whole thing may have seemed somewhat frightening but Derek knew that Scott was just ensuring that the omegas understood what had just occurred. Next to the Alpha and his mate- he was the one in charge. The betas had shown him their acceptance through a fight- now Scott needed the same from the omegas. He needed their submission so his position in the pack remained unchallenged.

As he drew closer the two omegas separated slightly, though Jackson seemed more hesitant.

He seemed weary...defiant. Scott got about a foot away, teeth still bared and ears point back before Isaac moved apart from Jackson and walked up to meet Scott and bared his neck. A gift which Scott took gently between his teeth- exerting minimal pressure before releasing it and licking over the spot, causing Isaac to make a contented noise.

Scott then looked at Jackson expectantly but the fawn wolf just narrowed his eyes, pushed his ears back and let out a snarl from his hunched position on the floor.

Derek barely saw the movement before Scott moved to stand nose to nose with Jackson. Ripping a dominating growl from his throat- he caused the reaction he wanted of Jackson to tilt his head- exposing the column of flesh which Scott took with a bit more of a pinching force than he had with Isaac and held it. Retribution of Jackson's earlier defiance. Scott moved his head slightly eliciting a whimper of apology from Jackson before he released him with an accepting lick to ease the pain he had caused.

And that was it. 

The hierarchy was set in stone. At least they had  _that_  if the Alpha pack were to arrive! Now Derek just needed to coach them out their wolf forms and maybe sort out the Alpha that was itching at him beneath his skin.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! My college schedule has been post and I'm free most Mondays! So here's to hoping that will be when to expect the updates!


	5. After Shock

Derek looked back at the humans on the porch. Lydia looked as though she knew exactly how the whole thing was going to pan out and, knowing her, she probably had. Allison looked slightly shocked- as though she couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed. He supposed it must be a bit of a surprise when your boyfriend morphs into a full blown wolf and then fights six other wolves for dominance but at the same time, said boyfriend was also a werewolf.

And Stiles…well, Stiles looked like he wanted to grab a paper and pen and just start recording everything he saw- then grab his laptop, and the coffee he wasn’t allowed to have, in order to research the hell out of dominance in wolf packs.

He was more than likely going to try just that as soon as the moment of chance presented itself.

Then Derek flicked his field of vision to the bundle of wolves, just off to the right of the porch; all of them intertwining with one another, trying with all their might to scent their pack mates. Derek continued to watch them for a moment- allowing the behavior to continue for a few more moments. He then breathed in deep, closed his eyes and saw his wolf form itself on the canvas of his lids. He knew him- Derek could tell.

However, he was not happy. His heckles rose at the sight of him, lips pulled back in a snarl and his red eyes held Derek’s own blue.

“Hello”, Derek said and a raging growl tore itself from between his forms lips, “I’m sorry it’s been so long but we both know what happened then was not good for us.” The wolf’s eyes narrowed slightly, but the noise stopped.

They had both realised that day neither was in control in that moment- and Derek had been too afraid to revisit his wolf afterwards. He never wanted that feel that again…never wished to see its effects though it was still something that haunted him at night sometimes. It was something he could never remove from his vision.

“We need to merge. I need you, but first I need to know we’re okay. We’re in control. Our pack connected- we finally did it and they need us. Can we be strong for them, can we be in control?” he asked, stepping closer with each word until he could run his hand along his wolf’s head.

It stood, unmoving for a moment longer, then shut its eyes and sat back. Derek then slid his hand down to his neck, resting it for a second just breathing in the scent he knew so well. He clenched his fist into the thick coal dusted fur and then stepped forward.

He felt it, the exact moment when they connect and he felt whole again. He felt good.

* * *

 

Stiles had been so wrapped up in watching his friends weave between one and other over and over again that it wasn’t until he heard the howl that he even noticed his boyfriend had changed into his wolf form.

Apparently, the wolves hadn’t either if the collective jump and whines were anything to go by.

The all turned to look at the source after and it was clear by their posturing alone- there was no questioning that they knew who the alpha was.

Derek stalked forward after a second- bee-lining straight toward his pack, who all separated into a line and then sat.

He reached them in a few confident strides and Stiles could feel as the tension mounted alongside them. They knew it was their alpha but, they didn’t know what he was going to do and neither did Stiles.

Derek looked at the wolves in front of him with calculating eyes. Then turned his attention to Scott- his second in command. Derek didn’t seem to move, or twitch, or even blink... but something caused Scott to stand from his spot a meter or so away, and move toward his alpha. Head bent and looking up toward his face every so often, but never in the eye. He stopped the smallest of distances away from Derek and then stood still again.

Derek looked down at the pup briefly, before letting out a small noise which must have been permission for him to look up-which he did. Derek made another series of noises- Stiles knew he didn’t understand what heard on a conscience level but somewhere in his brain, or under his skin, something knew.

Derek was happy; Glad with his pack finally sorting out all that they had left unwritten since they had first formed. He was letting Scott know that this was how their pack would be for now. They all knew their place in the pack, all knew were they stood, and he was letting them know that to act outside of those boundaries at this point would not be wise... but most importantly, would not be tolerated.

The same part of Stiles that was letting him know what Derek was saying, was also telling him that the alpha part of _him_ was reveling in the creation of the packs hierarchy, and that fact was causing Stiles’ stomach to turn a bit. Stiles wasn’t sure he trusted that part of Derek…because it didn’t feel like Derek did, not fully.

The rest of the pack didn’t look like they noticed that though- they all just looked on in awe of their alpha, like has was the best thing that ever happened, despite the ominous ring  to his words…well, his like bark rumble…things…

But then they changed- the noises were no longer serious because they were no longer there. Derek had stopped talking…yipping? Communicating, Stiles was going to go with communicating. Instead he sniffed the air once or twice and then turned his attention back to Scott, he then dipped his head to nuzzle into his Beta’s neck and Scott made a noise that Stiles was 110% sure he was going to slag him for until he died of embarrassment and Stiles of laughter!

The movement seemed to be enough for the rest of the pack to feel as though the serious moment had passed also because they all rushed forward at the same time and proceeded to huddle around Derek, jumping about and freeing sounds of pure joy and the rubbed along their alpha.

Stiles could have sworn in that snap shot of time, he heard Derek let out a wolfy chuckle as his pups carry on. And in that instant Stiles could almost swear that he couldn’t tell the difference between Derek and the wolf.

* * *

 

After everything had calmed down and Derek had coaxed everyone back into their human forms, Stiles decided that it was time for some serious pack bonding time…inside- where it was less cold and had things like wifi and a television fully equipped with Netflix.

The entire gang piled into the T.V. room just off from the kitchen, which was kind of small for the large group but Stiles preferred to just think of it as a room more ‘cuddling inclined’ and everyone took their usual seats.

 Derek and Stiles snuggled up on the arm chair closest to the door (and perfectly placed as to avoid any glare off the t.v.), Allison had placed herself onto Scott’s lap on the other arm chair located past the large couch seating the rest of the pack, resting her head onto his shoulder. Isaac sat on the floor his head slung back onto Danny’s knees where the older boys hand raked through the curls there. Stiles couldn’t help but share a smile with Derek on that image- everyone, including Danny was waiting for Isaac to finally realise that Danny _did_ in fact want him. Jackson sat beside Lydia who wedged herself into his side, grabbing his arm to sling over her shoulder while Jackson pretended to look annoyed by the movement but once he thought no one was watching- he smiled, and she rested her feet onto one member the final couple of the Hale Pack- Boyd. He placed his hand onto the intruding limb, giving it a light loving squeeze before laughing and turning to look down at Erica’s face which shone back up at him in contented joy—both just happy to final have somewhere they felt they belonged.

Stiles tried his best to be unfazed by the sight but he could feel as the warm feeling of love just filled the air around him giving it a real sense of home and it pulsed through his bond causing Derek to push his fingertips gently into Stiles’ hip to get his attention and share a smile…and a kiss.

* * *

 

Derek had tried his best to really just relax along with the rest of the pack but the hours that had passed with the idle chatter and watching of some movie about some space police who fought weird things and one of them had stupid ears? He didn’t know what was happening because underneath his skin his wolf was pushing and the pressure was getting a bit too much for him to take.

It was like every vessel in his body was hitting against the confines of his skin and he could feel it beginning to rip all over. He needed to leave. He needed to sleep. He needed Stiles and if that was going to happen he needed-

“Everyone go to bed.” Derek felt himself say though he didn’t remember wanting to.

Everyone’s head snapped quickly to look at the focal point of the gruff sound.

“Now!” he yelled. He suddenly just felt so frustrated with everyone in the room. He felt like they had all be screaming and messing not, watching a movie.

“Derek, what-?”

“Shut up Scott! Just go. To. Bed. Now!” it took them all a moment for their brains to figure out what their ears and then another instant for their muscles to catch up and they all scrambled to leave to their rooms.

Stiles however sat still and watched the flurried exists before he turned to face Derek.

“Dude! What the hell even was that?!”

Derek just ignored the words and instead, stood, taking Stiles with him and began the trek to their own bedroom.

Stiles continued to babble and Derek, he continued to ignore, because right now he was concentrating on holding back the parts of the wolf that he could but it wasn’t going to well.

Suddenly Derek noticed they were where he wanted them to be and he dropped his mate onto his feet.

“Ouch! Bit harder the next time you ass- I don’t think the balls of my feet connected strong enough! What is your proble-“

Derek surged forward and captured Stiles’ lips with his own- it was partially because his need to claim him was slowly reaching a breaking point and partially because he needed him to Stop. Talking!

Derek moved forward again, pushing Stiles up against the wall, eliciting a noise of protest which melted quickly into a moan when Derek moved away from his lips to his neck, which Stiles presented to him so beautifully that Derek had no other choice but to gather some of the flesh up between his teeth and press into it slightly- loving the noises it produced from his mate. So wanting, so needy…just for Derek.

“Der- ugh- we need to sto-oh-op. Just give-eh me a second to taaa-lk”

“No.” Derek moved away from his neck just long enough to say the word before he move back down to where his neck met his shoulder and placed another bruising bite there.

 “Ahh! Der maybe we should-“

Derek picked him up, Stiles instinctively wrapping his legs around Derek waist and locked his ankles there. Derek began to nip his way back up toward his face, stopping by his ear just long enough to say

“Maybe, you should stop focusing on wanting to talk and instead focus on how hard you are starting to get…on how _badly_ you want me to fix that for you?”

“I- I…okay.”

Derek smirked. Stiles was so easy sometimes, he was just so very _pliable_ for Derek when he was like this. He was entirely his and Derek’s wolf howl at that fact. The feeling was so intense in that moment that Derek felt his guard slip and his wolf surge through the gap.

Everything was now sharper, more in focus and every sense in Derek was hightened. He knew his wolf was taking over- he could feel it's power pumping hard and fast through his viens. 

The thoughts in his head were no longer complex but simple. Stiles was his and he needed to know that, he needed to say it but more imporatantly he needed to understand it with his entire soul. By the smell of arousol in the air and pure...submission- he understood it.

“Good boy.” He growled and Stiles made a sound of appreciation at the words, “You’re mine aren’t you Stiles? My good boy.” It wasn’t really a question, and they both knew it.

“Y-yes, Der. All yo- ohh- yours”.

The wolf preened at the words and Derek felt as his claws moved along the seams of Stiles’ shirt, tearing it off the boy’s body- giving Derek a bigger canvas to work on, to mark as his own.

Derek felt as his hands trailed along Stiles’ body. It was so lean and taunt- picture of pure perfection. All pale skin and dark speckles.  He was completely unmarred…except…except for five long and jagged scars that wrapped around his hip bone from his back.

They were the only imperfection. They looked so brutal…so insanely savage despite that fact they had clearly occurred at least a year ago.

Derek’s wolf recognised them as an injury from a wolf’s claw and he felt as an angered noise protruded from his throat and forced its way along his tongue, through clenched teeth.

The noise seemed to pull Stiles from his feeling of bliss and he looked on concerned at his mate.

“Woah Derek. Stop.” And he felt as Stiles began to push against his shoulders, the vibe passing through their bond telling Derek Stiles would rather not be enclosed in Derek’s arms right now.

Derek moved in closer, holding him tighter, not wanted to let go just yet. Not until he knew where those scars came from- despite the nagging tug of Derek's human side at the base of his skull telling his wolf that they knew exactly where they came from.

“Seriously Derek! Off! I’m not doing this with you when you’re like this. I-I can’t!” Stiles’ shoved again hard and Derek felt himself move back- his wolf to shocked and angry to prevent it.

“Who did that?” the growl ripped forth, the words bitter and hateful on his tongue and the alpha side could feel the resistance of Derek pushing against his insticts.

Stiles spun around to face him from where he had moved to grab a t-shirt from their drawers. He looked shocked and hurt? And it made him see red. Whoever did that to his mate was going to pay, Derek would make sure of that! He could sense the fear in Stiles, unadulterated and heavy, could taste it's bitter tang.

“Who?! _Who?!_ “ Stiles looked disgusted, "How could you even ask me that?”

Now Derek felt disgusted as all traces of his wolf dissipated back into the recesses of him mind and he pulled his human essence to the forefront- because he remembered it all. How could he forget? How could his wolf not recognise the thing they had done the last time he was there? The memory that haunted Derek’s dreams just as often as the fire did.

“Stiles I- I’m sorry. My wolf just didn’t recognise…I’m so sorry. I don't know why he...he doesn't remember it full-”

“Don’t Derek. Please just…just don’t. Don’t tell me about your God damn wolf- it’s the reason I have these scars, it’s the reason we struggled for _months_ to make this work again and it’s the same reason tomorrow morning you’re going to have to apologise to the pack for breaking up the only normal thing that happened today!” Stiles yelled, he seemed so angry (not that Derek blamed him) but then suddenly his shoulders slumped and anger was the last thing he felt.

Derek went to move forward but the sudden fatigued look in Stiles’ eyes stopped him before he got more than a step.

“ I thought- I thought we were finally getting somewhere.” Derek looked on at him confused.

Stiles sighed and he began his explanation, “I knew when you started talking up here that it wasn’t you…I saw the eyes and I _knew_ it was your wolf in charge and I wasn’t afraid. I- I wasn’t thinking about…about what happened. I was just thinking about how happy everything had been, how for the first time I wasn’t really able to tell you two apart. And then…then you saw the scars and you asked me where I got them from?” Stiles’ voice broke and the tears the brimmed his eyes were almost too much for Derek to take.

Then Stiles turned around- no longer able to look at Derek- no longer able to face the rawness of his emotions.

“I’m going to go to bed. Maybe you should go sleep on the couch tonight.”

“Stiles?” but Stiles didn’t turn back around, instead he just shucked off his trousers and crawled beneath the covers on their bed, and curling up. He looked so venerable and Derek wanted nothing more than to wrap himself around that body until he unclenched and fell asleep in Derek’s arms like he had so many times before- but he didn’t.

 He just turned around, turned off the lights and closed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this! Let me know what you're thinking by leaving a comment- they're always appreciated! :)


	6. NOTICE: A SMALL CHRISTMAS PRESENT

In an attempt to make up for my lack of posting and a want not to post an angsty chapter on Christmas I wrote a small Christmas Cracker of a fluffy sterek one shot of the packs first Christmas eve. It's part one of the series :)

Happy Holidays!

Erica x


	7. The immediate morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shortness of this chapter but I thought I needed to update for anyone who is waiting for one :P The next chapter should (hopefully) be up tomorrow for you all! :D
> 
> Thanks for sticking around x

Stiles didn’t sleep that night. He just couldn’t stop himself replaying Derek asking that question, over and over… “Who did this?”, and it hurt to hear it. It was like each time it repeated itself, the claw marks grew deeper and deeper. No longer were they their silver scarring but torn apart, pulsating and reddened flesh once more.

 Stiles hadn’t cried in a long time- not since he thought he was going to lose his dad to the psycho that was Jennifer- but that night he felt like his tears and him were well acquainted friends. By the time morning decided to roll out of its horizon shaped bed, Stiles’ face was swollen and sore from the salted tears.

 He wondered if Derek slept. If that damned wolf had any say he probably had! Nothing welcomes sleep more than a clear conscience. Stiles knew it was bitter to say that. Knew it was a lie, because Derek had looked just as hurt that his wolf seemed to have let that memory go. He had heard him moving in the night, but Stiles was just so…Angry? Hurt? He didn’t know anymore. Right now all he was aware of was the cold spot in their bed and how utterly empty he felt.

* * *

 

Derek stared blankly at the roof. Just through the relatively thin wood and plaster, was Stiles. Stiles, who was miserable and angry and wounded. Stiles who probably hated Derek only minutely more than Derek hated himself right now.

 Derek had been awake all night, sans once or twice, where he awoke to the smell of smoke and the image of Stiles curled up on the floor with a pool of blood. Apart from those times, he just lay there listening to the muffled sobbing from the room above, _their_ room. Though he wondered how much longer he would be allowed to call it that. He wanted so much throughout the night to go up there and tell Stiles he was sorry. That he knew, he _knew_!! 

He had walked up the first three steps almost every hour- but each time he’d hear as Stiles held his breath and his heart began to beat faster and he’d turn back and return to the couch in frustration.

 How could his wolf be so _stupid?_ How did it forget that moment- that _one_ thing he regretted to the same extent as Kate?

However, the only thing that his wolf seemed saddened by was the fact the Derek was in the bad books with his mate, that and the fact that it wanted to go up there and take their place beside Stiles in the bed. It was as though his wolf hadn’t registered the fact that they were the cause of it! That they had been the ones to rip through the trusting flesh until it was deep enough to scar.

The worst part, if Derek could say there was just one, was the fact that Derek couldn’t even fully recall the moment…he didn’t know why it happened. Everything was too blurred and he didn’t know how to fix it! He didn’t know how to push past the random static and glimpses of bloodied claws and tear pricked eyes. It was like looking through the eyes of someone on the verge of passing out-- everything shrouded in thick fog and bouts of darkness. That was really what had made him so fearful of the reconnection, the loss of control and his inability to have the images make sense when he had taken back control if his wolf had been running on instinct alone.

Those moments had happened before the…incident with Stiles. Moments, where his wolf had gotten so wrapped up in whatever moment had presented itself, that he and his wolf seemed to separate and Derek’s human side was forced to the backseat of their conscience; Whenever he had been allowed to return the memories of those moments to him had always been blurred somewhat.

Nothing horrible had ever happened though when those instances occurred. It had always occured whenever Derek had needed to defend or save, which more often than not resulted in grievous injury or death to the person or persons involved in the attacking. It had allowed for Derek to distance himself from the actions, allowed him to separate himself from the guilt, so he had continued to let it happen.

He never thought anything bad could come of it. After all, who from his pack would be the one to attack? They were no threat to him or each other, so he had believed his wolf was not to them. Both he and his wolf adored them, felt safe with them. Would never do _anything_ to harm them…but then that happened and Derek couldn’t figure out why! He couldn’t even recall the details of it and now his wolf had gone and forgotten that he was even the one to do it!

How was Derek supposed to fix this? How were he and Stiles supposed to work through a problem Derek couldn’t even remember in anything bar scant images. He had fucked this up and for the first time since allowing himself to move forward from the fire, Derek hated the supernatural…and himself.

* * *

 

Stiles heard the beginning of stirrings from the various other bedrooms in the house and huffed out a small breath of frustration. He needed to get up. He needed to get himself together and try and look like he had not spent the entirety of  the night wondering how Derek could forget. More importantly however, Stiles needed to wash his face so he looked less like a frying pan had connected with it.

Things had to appear relatively normal for the sake of everyone’s sanity. There was so much to deal with regarding this whole “Alpha Pack” bullshit that Stiles really didn’t have to time start prodding at old scars (no pun intended). He and Derek would sort this out- that much he was certain of. It was not going to be easy but, they had sort of already had this hurdle before…kind of, so there would be a half made road map to navigate from.

Or, at least, that was the lie Stiles was going to sell to himself until he could get through this new and slightly more all-encompassing problem that was the ever encroaching surprise arrival of a bunch of alphas who thought that they had the right to try and force their bullshit hierarchy onto everybody else in this God forsaken supernatural world. Fucking alphas, man.

 Yeah, Stiles had a sinking feeling that his mind set toward them was going to get him into trouble when the proverbial shit hit the fan. ADHD is not the friend of those who need to be alert and on point…plus Stiles often spoke his thoughts aloud without realising. He still wasn’t too sure if that was an ADHD thing or just a Stiles thing, but either way it wasn’t going to work well for him.

With that in mind Stiles flung of the duvet with another grunt and lay still, sprawled out, for another second before springing up to go jump into Derek and his’ shower.

He would put aside his and Derek’s...problem, for the time being in order to try sort this apparent stage production that was needed to fool the Alphas. Lord knows, that that problem in and of itself was enough to try and get through for everyone without splitting the pack into those feeling more protective of Stiles or Derek. So, he would shower, go downstairs, smile and be nice and if anyone asked- Derek had been snoring too loudly. It had happened before so it was believable enough and hopefully all would seem okay so no one would check to see if he was lying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always great encouragement, even if it is constructive criticism! :D

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you're thinking! :D


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